FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Port Everglades, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, the leading container port in Florida and the state's primary seaport for receiving petroleum products, will soon have a new situation management and security system.
WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Homeland Security this week approved a group of bills that would impact, among other things, the country's preparedness for an attack by weapons of mass destruction, port security, and the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program.
WASHINGTON—Two members of Congress last week created a new bipartisan caucus to promote the growth and security of the United States' 350 commercial sea and river ports.
The Virginia Port Authority has announced plans to cut its 71-officer police force by more than half and replace sworn officers with contract security guards, a move that has reportedly led the port's police chief to say he will resign if the layoffs are carried out.
ALBANY, N.Y.–An appeals court in New York on Sept. 21 ruled that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey cannot be held liable for failing to prevent the 1993 truck bombing of the World Trade Center, claiming that to do so would "create a disincentive for governmental agencies to investigate these types of security threats."
HOUSTON—The Port of Houston Authority may soon make changes to its contract bidding process after allegations of a conflict of interest regarding the port’s security guard contract with U.S. Security Associates, reported the Houston Chronicle.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla.—Transitioning to an IP network isn’t just beneficial for managing security devices, it’s also critical to managing all the business functions for an organization. Presenting at TechSec Solutions, Louis Noriega, chief information systems for the Port of Miami told attendees that it is especially critical to make processes and procedures as efficient as possible particularly in a port environment, which must balance heavy cargo traffic as well as large numbers of cruise ship passengers.
CHARLESTON, S.C.-Getting everyone to the table is often the most difficult part of developing an inclusive and holistic security program. But taking the time to involve all the various stakeholders in the development of a long-term security plan can often save an organization a significant amount of time, money and headaches down the road.
HOUSTON—Emergency plans should include a variety of scenarios, but as security professionals know, you can’t plan for everything. The Port of Houston found this out on Jan. 4 when a 300,000-gallon tank filled with animal fat broke open, leaking an estimated 15,000 gallons of beef fat into the Houston Ship Channel.
